Falling Down

[Lancstree]

Has anyone seen the film falling down with Michael Douglas going into MacDonalds with a machine gun? Well I felt like him a bit today. Started off getting annoyed with idiot drivers then later I was reading in a newspaper about gangs of lads going round in BMWs trying to groom young girls into prostitution in the North West and Midlands. This made my blood boil. Then on the way back from picking my girlfriend up I got stuck behind an extremely bad driver (post man) who nearly ran into the side of me when I overtook because he was busy reading envelopes. Later I was in town and saw what I suspected to be the initial stages of grooming as there was some big lads in a very big BMW, blocking the road while chatting to two young tarted up girls at the side of the road. A short while later I was walking down the street when one of two teen lads threw a screwed up piece of litter over his shoulder without any concern. I approached them and gave them a piece of my mind even though I knew it was futile.

 

Rant over!

[Taupotreeman]

Careful mate, you let this stuff get too far into your head and it can really screw you up. You never know what might make you snap and what you will do if you do snap. Suffered from anger problems for years until it got to the stage where I wanted to go out and kick the preverbial out of everybody for the slightest little misdemenor. Suddenly realised I had a problem and had to get some help for it. It sneaks up on you before you know it.

[Lancstree]

Very true taupo. I'm a very placid and friendly person thought I can snap when I let enough things get to me. Did you get cognitive therapy by any chance? I've got a good control over my anger because I've never harmed anyone but some times I feel on the verge of it. Particularly with my next door neighbor. All it ever amounts to is me speaking my mind. I will keep it that way

[Taupotreeman]

I found myself getting angrier and angrier. Hauled a couple of guys out of their cars and chased a few others around the streets for hours. I used to let things get to me until it would gnaw away at me for days. It would be the only thing I could think of and then I'd end up just looking for a fight. I took that anger home with me and would end up flying off the handle for no reason. Eventually I had a bit of a melt down at work and lost the plot completely. It took several visits to both a phsycologist and a shrink to get me sorted but it turns out the real cause was stress at work (so a warning to all that stress can affect you in many ways). Not long after my melt down I was constructively dismissed as I was seen as a liability so I set up on my own. Since then I have learnt to relax and not to take life so seriously. Not having to deal with people on a day to day basis also helped (cos most of em were idiots) but generally being in control of my own destiny and the physical exercise has been really good. Also being able to admit when you have an issue and being able to know when things are starting to get to you and doing something about it is really important. Sorry if that's a load of waffle.

[Lancstree]

Its not a waffle, it all makes sense. I respect that you are offering your experience and its helpful. When my anger kicks in I lose all sense of fear and become like a coiled spring but when the people that know me see this change they are horrified and that is what makes me see sense again. Two things have helped me with driving; getting a very small car so I'm out of the race and never using my horn in anger.

[Taupotreeman]

It's not the horn you need to be worried about it's the tyre iron under the front seat

[armchairarborist]

get yourself a bigger horn. mine makes me smile cos it goes MOOO really loud:cool:, life is for laughing at silly moo horns

Edited January 9, 2011 by armchairarborist
dunno really

[djbobbins]

It's not the horn you need to be worried about it's the tyre iron under the front seat

 

... and the axe in the boot ... and the machete ... and the spade ... and the 880 just for good measure? All tools of the trade, obviously:001_unsure:

 

Seriously though, interesting thread. I've had a few stressful months at work over the last few months and identified with some of the feelings mentioned.

 

Fortunately things have now calmed down a bit but it's very good to reflect on the situation and think about how it was that I came to respond in the way I did.